Densu Delta Community-Based Fisheries Management Plan Greater Accra Region, Ghana
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, DENSU DELTA COMMUNITY-BASED FISHERIES MANAGEMENT PLAN GREATER ACCRA REGION, GHANA MINISTRY OF FISHERIES AND AQUACULTURE DEVELOPMENT (MOFAD) FISHERIES COMMISSION ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Development Action Association (DAA) assisted the Fisheries Commission in facilitating series of community meetings, leading to the drafting of this document. We also acknowledge the various contributions of the Wildlife Division of the Forestry Division, the Ga South Municipal Assembly, Centre for Coastal Management of the University of Cape Coast, Ghana Water Company Limited (Weija Dam), Densu Oyster Pickers Association (DOPA), the Densu Community Based Fisheries Management Committee and the Chiefs and people of Tsokomey, Boartianor, Tetegu towards the development of the management plan. The development of this management plan was made possible with funding from the American People through the United States Agency for International Development under the Sustainable Fisheries Management project (SFMP), implemented by the Coastal Resources Center of the University of Rhode Island. Citation: Ghana Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development and Fisheries Commission. (2020). Densu Delta Community-Based Fisheries Management Plan, Greater Accra Region, Ghana. Accra: Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development, Fisheries Commission. 59 pp. Cover Photos: Oyster harvesters working in the Densu Estuary. Photo credit: Development Action Association i LIST OF ACRONYMS CSOs Civil Society Organizations DAA Development Action Association DFTC DAA Fisheries Training Center DO Dissolved Oxygen DOPA Densu Oyster Pickers Association FDA Food and Drugs Authority GSA Ghana Standards Authority GSMA Ga South Municipal Assembly GWCL Ghana Water Company Limited Hg Mercury MOFAD Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development PPT Parts Per Thousand PRA Participatory Rapid Appraisal RAMSAR The International Convention on Wetlands of International Importance especially as Waterfowl Habitat – called the RAMSAR Convention, RAMSAR was the city where it was signed in Iran SFMP Sustainable Fisheries Management Project UCC University of Cape Coast USAID United States Agency for International Development ii TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ....................................................................................................... i LIST OF ACRONYMS............................................................................................................. ii TABLE OF CONTENTS ........................................................................................................ iii LIST OF FIGURES ................................................................................................................. iv LIST OF TABLES ................................................................................................................... vi CO-MANAGEMENT AGREEMENT ..................................................................................... 1 1.0 INTRODUCTION............................................................................................................... 3 2.0 THE COMMUNITY BASED MANAGEMENT PLANNING PROCESS..................... 7 3.0 CHARACTERIZATION OF THE OYSTER FISHERY IN THE DENSU DELTA ...11 3.1 The Fishery Management Area ...............................................................................11 3.2 Status of the Shellfish Resources and Issues in the Fishery ..............................12 3.3 The Biology of the West African Mangrove Oyster (Crassostrea tulipa)...........15 3.4 Chain of Activities in Oyster Harvesting and Processing.....................................16 3.5 Annual Calendar of Activities of Cockle and Oyster Harvesters ........................18 3.6 Water Quality for Oyster Growth..............................................................................19 3.7 Key Issues ...................................................................................................................20 4.0 MANAGEMENT APPROACH .......................................................................................21 4.1 Purpose........................................................................................................................21 4.2 Goals ............................................................................................................................21 4.3 Objectives ....................................................................................................................21 5.0 MANAGEMENT MEASURES FOR ACHIEVING KEY OBJECTIVES ...................23 6.0 INSTITUTIONAL ARRANGEMENTS FOR IMPLEMENTING THE PLAN ............25 6.1 The Densu Delta Co-Management Committee .....................................................25 6.2 Densu Delta Oyster Management Advisory Committee ......................................26 6.3 The Role of MOFAD and the Fisheries Commission ...........................................26 6.4 The Role of Local Government Units......................................................................27 6.5 The Role of the Weija Dam Authority......................................................................27 6.6 The Role of the Wildlife Division (Forestry Commission) ....................................27 6.7 The Role of Universities and Research Institutions Especially University of Cape Coast, Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences and Centre for Coastal Management .................................................................................28 6.8 The Role of Civil Society and Private Sector Organizations (e.g. DAA) ...........28 iii 7.0 ENFORCEMENT OF MANAGEMENT MEASURES AND SANCTIONS ..............29 7.1 Sanctions, Penalties and Fines................................................................................29 8.0 MONITORING AND EVALUATION FOR MEETING PLAN GOALS AND OBJECTIVES ..........................................................................................................30 REFERENCES.......................................................................................................................31 ANNEX 1: STAKEHOLDER ANALYSES OF COLLABORATORS ENGAGED DURING THE COMMUNITY CO-MANAGEMENT DEVELOPMENT PROCESS ...............................................................................................................32 ANNEX 2: CO-MANAGEMENT PLANNING COMMITTEE MEMBERS ......................36 ANNEX 3: MEAN VALUES OF WATER QUALITY PARAMETERS IN THE DENSU DELTA: DRY (APRIL) AND WET (JULY) SEASONS IN 1994 .......................37 ANNEX 4: PICTURES FROM EARLY MANAGEMENT ACTIONS ..............................38 ANNEX 5: PICTURE OF MEMBERS OF THE PERMANENT DENSU OYSTER PICKERS CO-MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE ...................................................41 ANNEX 6: REGISTRATION CERTIFICATE OF DOPA ..................................................42 ANNEX 7: PICTURE OF MEMBERS OF THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE ..................43 ANNEX 8: IMPLEMENTATION PLAN FOR THE DENSU OYSTER FISHERY MANAGEMENT PLAN...........................................................................................45 ANNEX 9: PICTURE GALLERY - GENERAL...................................................................50 LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1: Some members of Densu Oyster Pickers Association who have benefited from training in oyster biology and ecology taking data on water quality monitoring at the Densu Delta ................................................................................ 4 Figure 2: Members of DOPA on a study tour to the Ada clam site to learn how clams are managed by community folks .......................................................................... 5 Figure 3: Members of DOPA implementing some initial ecological management measures by replanting degraded mangrove forest areas at the Densu delta ..................................................................................................................................... 6 Figure 4: The four main phases in writing a Community Based Management Plan for the Oyster Fishery of the Densu Delta .................................................................. 7 Figure 5: A call on the Wulomo (River Priest) of Bortianor before the PRA was conducted .................................................................................................................. 9 Figure 6: Boundaries of the fishery management plan area and location of oyster harvesting communities around the Densu Delta .............................................11 Figure 7: Women harvesting oysters by direct hand picking at low tide.......................12 Figure 8: Perceptions of trends of changes in catch and effort as revealed during the PRAs.........................................................................................................................14 iv Figure 9: Sites for harvesting oysters at the Densu delta - Bojo, Nayo Bibio, Nayo agbo, Kpevuduogbor, Faana, Wegame and Kele .............................................14 Figure 10: The mangrove oyster (Crassostrea tulipa) .....................................................15 Figure 11: Life cycle of the mangrove oyster (Crassostrea tulipa) ................................16 Figure 12: Labour hours on various oyster processing activities by oyster harvesters in Tsokomey ............................................................................................................17 Figure 13: Oyster harvesters demonstrating harvesting oysters during the PRA. Normally they would have individual basins.......................................................18